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Graham Foxton |
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| Bob 70-71 | Special thanks to Phil Moody for sending this profile of Graham :
DAVID
GRAHAM FOXTON 'GRAHAM' GRAHAM was born in Harrogate, and he attended Harrogate Secondary Modern School. Graham was the school football team captain, and he also later captained Harrogate Town football club. Graham signed for the Iron as an apprentice professional in July 1965, when Freddie Goodwin was team manager. Graham was to play in the Iron's youth team, and he was a regular that played his part in the successful youth team which reached the F.A.Youth Cup semi- final in 1966/67, before losing to a stronger Sunderland team, over the two legged semi-final. Sunderland went onto win the Final. Graham was upgraded to a full-time professional in October 1967. While playing in the youth and reserve teams, Graham caught the eye of the England Youth selectors. Graham was invited to play in a series of practice matches for the England Youth X1, against League club youth teams, in preparation for final selection purposes for the England Youth team. Programme club notes: - v Orient, 21st October 1967 "Our congratulations to young Graham Foxton, on his selection among the 18 players to do duty for the England Youth squad against Crystal Palace Under 19 team." Graham was to make his Football League debut while still at the age of seventeen, coming on as a substitute in the home game against Grimsby Town, 20th January 1968, which the Iron lost 0-3. He then had to wait another three months, before making his second appearance, only this time he played the full ninety minutes in the 0-4 defeat at Shrewsbury 13th April 1968.
Including the Shrewsbury game Graham was to play in the last eight matches of the season, as the Iron finished bottom of the 3rd Division and slipped into the 4th Division for the first time in the club's history. In 1968/69 Graham made a further seven appearances for the first team and one as substitute, being understudy to Derek Hemstead. Following Derek's departure to Carlisle United, at the beginning of the 1969/70 season, Graham established himself as a regular in United's first team. In Graham's first full season saw him only miss two league games, and helped the Iron enjoy F.A.Cup success, reaching the 5th Round, for only the clubs second time in their history. He played his part in helping the Iron overcome 2nd Division Millwall, 1st Division Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough, before losing in the fifth to Swindon Town. Graham was a useful right-back and enjoyed going forward on surging runs from the back, helping supply crosses for leading goal scorer Nigel Cassidy.
In 1970/71 Graham made a further 33 league appearances and in the same season, saw Graham score his solitary goal for the Iron, in the second game of the new season in a 3-0 win over Southend United 22nd August 1970, at the Old Show Ground. In 1971/72 he manage to make one more league appearance then the year before and one as substitute, as the Iron clinched promotion to the 3rd Division, after finishing fourth in the 4th Division. Graham also played his part in helping the achieve two club records on the way, fewest league goals conceded in one season 37, and 15 consecutive league games undefeated 1972/73 saw the Iron struggle to adjust to the 3rd Division, as Graham also struggle with an ankle injury, which restricted him to only make 22 league appearances and 3 as substitute, as the Iron finished bottom of the third, with a quick return to the fourth. Graham's last appearance in the Iron's colours came at home against Blackburn Rovers in a 1-1 draw, 24th April 1973, coming on as a substitute. At the end of the season Graham was released, and went onto play for Brigg Town. Graham
spent 27 years working for Prudential Insurance after
finishing playing football. Thanks
very much to Phil Moody for sending the top two
pictures of Graham |
Return to Scunthorpe United Return to Phil Moody |
| Bob Dunning 25 January 2003 |
See the latest Soccer news at www.bobdunning.net |
